Skirt form hanger



Oct. 13, 1959 J. E. DERANJA EIAL 2,908,430

SKIRT FORM HANGER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. '31, 1955 m m m0 m5 W JMONROE JANG W W ATTORNEYS Oct. 13,- 1959 J. E. DERANJA E'AL 2,908,430

SKIRT FORM HANGER Filed Oct. 31, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS JOHN E.DERAMJA MONROE JANG A T TORNEYS United States Patent SKIRT FORM HANGERJohn E. Deranja, Santa'Clara, and Monroe Jang, Merced, Calif.

Application October 31, 1955, Serial No. 543,842

3 Claims. (Cl. 223--95) The present invention relates to skirt hangers,and pertains more particularly to a skirt hanger which is adaptable toaccommodate different sizes of skirts, and which forms the skirt into apleasing silhouette at the waist and hip portions thereof.

It is important when hanging womens skirts, either in a store or in ahome closet, that the skirts be wrinkle free, since after hangingwrinkled for some time the wrinkles become set. Also, in the case ofsoft fabrics, a skirt hung by. one or two pointstends to pull out ofshape. It is important that the skirt be hung flat, so that a largenumber of skirts may be hung in closely adjacent relation on a rod orrack, and without becoming entangled with one another, and, particularlyin a store, it is desirable that the hanger present the skirt in a trim,natural appearing silhouette so as to enhance its appearance.

The present invention contemplates the provision of a skirt form hangerwherein the side portions of the device fit within folded portions ofthe skirt and are spring biased to simulate the form of the hips of awearer in silhouette, other portions of the hanger being formed toengage the looped extremities of the waist band of the skirt and draw itsnugly in about the formed side portions .to hold the skirt securely bymeans of hip support.

The invention also provides an improved skirt for-m hanger havinginwardly biased fingers which fit into the looped ends of the waist bandof a skirt and which draw the skirt snugly about outwardly biasedhip-simulating side form portions provided on the device.

:It also provides a skirt form hanger which will fit a large range ofskirt sizes, is suitable for window display use, and does not leave anymark on the skirt fabric or belt I of a skirt hung thereon.

Another object of the invention is to insert a pair of downwardlyextending fingers into opposite looped ends of the waist band portion ofa skirt, the hip portion of the-skirt being passed about a pair ofhip'for-m side portions, the waist band engaging finger portion and thehip forming portion on each side of the hanger being biased relativelyaway from each other.

A further object is to make an improvedand simplified form-type skirthanger.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparentfrom the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein: VI

Fig. 1 is a side elevational View of one form of the invention, thedevice being shown in solid lines in its normal condition, and in brokenlines in inwardly drawn condition for wrapping a skirt thereon.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the hanger shown in Fig. 1 with askirt supported thereon.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken'along line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of a modified form of the invention,the device being shown in solid lines in'its normal condition, and inbroken lines in resiliently deformed condition to facilitate thewrapping of a skirt thereon.

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of the hanger shown in Fig. 4 in theprocess of having a skirt hung thereon.

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of a further modified form of theinvention, the solid lines showing the hanger in its normal conditionand the broken lines showing it in inwardly drawn, skirt receivingcondition.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional view taken along line 77 ofFig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken along line 8--8 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 9-9 of Fig. 7.

The following is a description of three illustrative embodiments of theinvention. While these three hangers are illustrated and described asbeing made of wire, it is obvious, and contemplated, that the inventionmay be made of springy plastic material either molded or formed. Sincesuch modifications will be apparent to one familiar with the making ofplastic articles they are not illustrated or described herein.

Briefly describing the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3,a hanger A is made from a single length of spring wire. The hanger Acomprises a supporting hook 10, with a straight depending, double wirecenter portion 11. A pair of laterally separated waist band engagingfingers 12 and 13 are formed one on each side of the center portion 11,and a pair of curved hip forming portions 14 and 15 are formed outwardlyof the depending waist band engaging fingers 12 and 13.

A pair of finger grip hooks 17 and 18 are formed one on the free upperend of each hip forming portion 14 and 15, respectively.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the skirt form hanger A (Figs. 1, 2and 3) is made from a single length of stiff, springy wire which may beof the kind used in making wire coat hangers of a well known type incommon use throughout the United States.

At their lower ends, the adjacent Wire portions 11a and 11b are bent inopposite directions to form straight, laterally extending portions 23and 24.

Since the two sides of the lower portion of the hanger A are alike, therighthand portion only, as illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, will bedescribed in detail.

The outer end of the laterally extending portion 23 is bent downwardlyat 25 and then is doubled back upon itself at 27 to form the depending,waist band engaging finger 12. From the upper end of the finger 12, thewire 16 is curved outwardly at 28 and hence extends downwardly at 29 adesired distance for frictionally engaging a skirt hooked onto thefinger 12, and also for supporting the hip forming portion 14. v

This hip forming portion 14 is made by bending the lower end of thedownwardly extending portion 29 outwardly at 30 and thence curving itoutwardly and upwardly at 14 to a point above the upper end of the waistband engaging finger 12. I

At the upper end or" the curved hip forming portion 14 an outward offset32 is formed in the wire 16 to prevent a skirt B (Fig. 2) from riding upabove the upper end of the curved side portion 14. A wire portion 33thence extends straight inwardly, and its terminal inner end portion iscurled upwardly to provide the finger engaging hook 17.

A retaining link 35 preferably connects'the lower ends of the dependingwire portions 29 to prevent them from separating when pressing thefinger grip hooks 17 and 18 toward each other for mounting a skirt onthe hanger.

In operating the device A of Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the finger grip hookportions 17 and 18 are gripped between the thumb and finger of one hand37 and pressed together as shown in broken lines in Fig. 1. A loopedwaist band depending finger 12 or 13, whichever is more convenient,shown in Fig. 2.

The skirt then is drawn laterally outwardly past the depending wireportion 29, and is wrapped around the curved hip-forming portion 14 oron the same side of the hanger as the depending finger 12 or 13 uponwhich the skirt is first hooked. The skirt then is carried entirelyacross the hanger at 41, is Wrapped around the other hip forming portion14 or 15 as the case-may be, and the other end 42 of the waist bandportion of the skirt is then drawn past the downwardly extending wireportion 29 and is hooked upwardly onto the other depending finger 12 or13. The finger grip hooks 17 and 18 then are released, whereupon thespringiness of the wire 16 biases the hip forming side portions 14 and15 apart, thereby drawing the skirt taut neatly over the curved hipforming portions 14 and 15.

In the modified formC of the invention shown in Figs. 4 and 5, astraight central wire portion 44 has a suspension hook 45 formed in itsupper end. Two identical wire side portions 47 and 48 are welded at 49and 50 to the lower end of the central wire portion 44. Since the twoside portions 47 and 48 are similar to each other only the right handportion 47 will be described in detail.

The portion 47 comprises a laterally curved, upwardly extending springwire arm 51 with a waist band engaging finger 52 bent to depend ininwardly offset relation from the upper end thereof. An outwardly curvedhip forming portion 53 is formed continuously with the lower. end of theinner wire portion 51.

The hip forming portion 53 is curved outwardly and extends upwardly tofit neatly Within the hip portion of a skirt 54 wrapped thereon, and anoutward bend 55 at the upper end of portion 53 provides an upward stopfor the waist band 57 of the skirt 54. A finger gripping hook S8 isformed on the free inner end of a portion 59 extending laterallyinwardly from the bend 55.

The use and method of operation of this modified form C of the inventionwill be apparent to one having an understanding of the form A shown inFigs. 1 to 3 inclusive and described previously herein.

An important distinction between hanger A and hanger C resides in thefact that the depending fingers 52 of hanger C may be drawn outwardly asshown at 52 in Fig. 4 against the resilient resistance of the springarms 51 upon which they are mounted. No such displacement of thedepending fingers 12 of Fig.1 is possible.

When the outer hip forming portions of the hanger D are urged apart,each being within a folded over portion of a skirt, while at the sametime each waist band engaging finger is urged inwardly away from itsassociated hip forming portion, a pulley-like double extension effect isexerted on the skirt material which makes the form C of the inventioncapable of handling skirts having a wider range of waist band sizes thanthe form A of the invention.

The spring arms 63 and 64 are so formed as to bias their looped lowerends 67 and 68 apart, thereby to urge the straight wire portions 69 and70 axially in opposite directions toward their solid line positions ofFig. 6. At the end of each of the straight wire portions 69 and 70toward which these wires are biased by their respective spring arms 63and 64, are formed downwardly bent portions, each consisting of aninwardly inclined waist band retaining portion 74 and an outwardlycurved hip forming portion 75.

A pair of substantially identical depending, waist band engaging fingers80 and 81 (Figs. 6 and 8) each having a wire loop 82 (Fig. 8) welded at83 (Fig. 8) to the upper end thereof. Each loop 82 encircles bothstraight wire portions 69 and 70, and is welded to the straight wireportion which in turn is Welded to the spring loop 63 or '64 which is onthe opposite side of the center of the hanger D therefrom. Thus eachwaist band engaging finger 80 or 81 is freely slidable with respect tothe straight wire portion 69 or 70 which is welded to the spring arm 63or 64, as the case may be, on the same side of the hanger as the finger,but is welded'to the other straight wire portion for movement therewith.

' Therefore, when the spring arms 63 and 64 are pressed together to thecondition shown in broken lines in Fig. 6, the depending waist bandengaging fingers 80 and 81 will be spread apart, while this sameoperation will move the hip forming portions 77 and 78 closer together.

When in this condition, the fingers 80 and 81 are moved close to theirrespective hip forming portions 77 and 78, to easily receive a skirtwith a small waist band thereon, while when the spring arms 63 and 64are released and allowed to spring apart toward their solid linepositions of Fig. 6, the waist band engaging fingers 80 and 81 will bemoved toward each other, drawing the skirt inwardly around the hipforming portions 77 and 78, while at the same time the hip formingportions are moved apart to take up still more of the skirt material.

In the further modified form D of the invention shown in Figs. 6 to 9inclusive, a pair of stiff, springy wires and 61 are twisted together at62, and a suspension hook 61b is formed in the upwardly extendingportion 61a of one of these wires.

A pair of spring arms 63 and 64 are formed from the lower ends of thetwisted wires 60 and 61, respectively. The arms 63 and 64 each have aloop 63a and 64a, respectively, formed therein. The lower ends of thesespring arms 63 and 64 are formed into small loops 67 and 68,respectively (Figs. 7 and 9) which encircle a pair of straight wireportions 69 and arranged in side by side relation.

'One of these straight wire portions 69 is welded at 71 to the loop 67on the lower end of the spring arm 63,

and the other straight wire portion 70 is welded at 7'2 t6o the loop 68on the lower end of the other spring arm 4' v Therefore, due to theoutward movement of which the depending waist band engaging fingers arecapable, the forms C and D of the invention shown in Figs. 4 to 9inclusive, will, for a predetermined inward and outward movement of thehip forming portions thereof, accommodate skirts having a larger rangeof waist band sizes than will the form A shown in Figs. 1 to 3inclusive.

The invention provides a simple, inexpensive and easy manipulated skirthanger, which holds a skirt in a natural form with the hip portionthereof expanded to cause the skirt to drape properly and withoutwrinkles on the hanger. Furthermore it provides an attractive displayform for hanging a skirt in a store.

An important advantage of the present invention is that it does not haveany tendency to squeeze or deform any embellishments or decorationsabout the waist band portion of a skirt, such as artificial flowers orplastic decorations, since the hanger does not grasp or squeeze thewaistband portion of the skirt.

The invention thus provides a simple and effective skirt form hangerwhich will accommodate a large range of waistband sizes of skirts, andwill hang them in compact form and in attractive silhouettes of asmaller size than the fully extended size of the waistband or skirt.

While we have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of thepresent invention, it will be under stood however, that various changesand modifications may be made in the details thereof without departingfrom the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what we claim as new and desire toprotect by Letters Patent is defined in the following claims.

1. A skirt form hanger comprising a central upright support hook portionmade of stiif, springy wire, a pair of lateral wire portions extendingin lateral alignment in opposite directions from the lower end of thesupport hook portion, a pair of downwardly extending reversely bentwaist band engaging fingers formed on the outer ends of the laterallyextending wire portions, a pair of downwardly extending wire portionsformed one out- 5 wardly of each waist band engaging finger, a pair ofhip form wire portions extending upwardly and outwardly in ahip-silhouette like curve, one from the lower end of each of saiddownwardly extending wire portions to a height opposite the waist bandengaging fingers, and a band stop formed at the upper end of each hipform portion to prevent the waist band of a skirt hung thereon fromriding upwardly, whereby a skirt having its Waist hand drawn flat, andwith an exterior side thereof wrapped around the two hip form portions,and with the two looped ends of the waist band hooked onto the waistband engaging fingers, is supported in slender, hip-formed silhouette onthe hanger.

2. A skirt form hanger comprising a central upright support hook portionmade of stiff, springy wire, a pair of lateral wire portions extendingin lateral alignment in opposite directions from the lower end of thesupport hook portion, a pair of downwardly extending reversely bentwaist band engaging fingers formed on the outer ends of the laterallyextending wire portions, a pair of 2 downwardly extending wire portionsformed one outwardly of each waist band engaging finger, a pair of hipform wire portions extending upwardly and outwardly in a hip-silhouettelike curve from the lower end of each of said downwardly extending wireportions to a height opposite the waist band engaging fingers, a bandstop formed at the upper end of each hip form portion to prevent thewaist band of a skirt hung thereon from riding upwardly, and a hookformed on each hip form portion in inwardly spaced relation to the bandstop thereon for manually grasping of the hooks to draw the two hipforrn portions together for mounting a skirt thereon whereby a skirthaving its waist hand drawn flat, and with an exterior side thereofwrapped around the two hip form portions, and with the two looped endsof the waist band hooked onto the waist band engaging fingers, issupported in slender silhouette on the hanger.

3. An arrangement according to claim 2 wherein each side of the hangeris formed from a single continuous length of wire.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS766,250 Hermann Aug. 2, 1904 823,376 Twitchell June 12, 1906 834,800Hawk Oct. 30, 1906 2,164,525 Keys July 4, 1939 2,545,637 Tibbitts Mar.20. 1951

